OUR NEXT MEETING: Sat., September 18, 2021

9:00 to 2:00

Collins Pond

20202 Gum Island Road (or Kennedy Road if using an old GPS)

Georgetown, DE 19947

Jenna Caraway and Cali (or maybe her name will be Charlie this year).

Our September meeting will be hosted by Jenna Caraway at Collins Pond. This annual retreat by the pond in a wooded setting has been a tradition for DCWF for many years. Begun by her mother, Wilma, who is fondly remembered, it promises to be a relaxing, inspiring, and entertaining day since one or more of Jenna's puppets will surely make an appearance.

Let's hear directly from Jenna about what she has planned:

As most of you know, I have a passion for puppets and have been writing for my characters. I attended the International VentHaven Ventriloquist Convention as I do annually. So, in addition to the writing games I have planned for us, I thought I would bring you all into my world a bit, not too much so don't be afraid. Topics we will discuss are:

- What I have learned about writing from the convention

- Character development

- Very, very basic puppetry/ventriloquism

- Creative play

We hope this sparks your interest and you will be able to join us for the fun. Please bring your own bag lunch and food to share (coffee cake, salad, dessert). Water will be provided. You might want to bring a folding chair to sit on the deck.

D.C.W.A. HAS A NEW HOME!

Abundant Life Church

20488 Donovan's Road

Georgetown, DE 19947

DIRECTIONS:

Coming south on Rt. 113 (from Milford): As you approach the City Limits of Georgetown, turn left immediately after the BEACHES sign (an angled intersection with no light) onto North Bedford Street. (If you pass Walmart on 113, you've gone too far.) Take an immediate left on Donovan's Road (beside the State Police Credit Union). Abundant Life Church is on the left.

Coming north on Rt. 113 (from Millsboro): At the intersection of Rt. 18, get in the right lane of 113; go past Royal Farms, Arby's, and Walmart. Turn right when you see the sign for Division of Child Support Services. The Delaware Federal Credit Union will be facing you. Turn right and take an immediate left on Donovan's Road. Abundant Life Church is on the left.

Coming from the center of Georgetown: On North Bedford Street, when the road splits, bear right and go past North Georgetown Elementary. Take the next right on Donovan's Road beside the State Police Credit Union. Abundant Life Church is on the left.

The Power of Therapeutic Writing

Candy Abbott, facilitator for the July 2021 meeting

God has called us to write for others, but do we recognize how powerfully the exercise of stringing words together can be for us personally? Writing helps us track our spinning thoughts and feelings, which can lead to key insights. Candy will share three types of therapeutic writing from an article written by Margarita Tartakovsky: Journaling, Pen Poetry, and Letter Writing. Tell us how your writing has helped you work through some of the roller-coaster moments of your life.

MANUSCRIPT CRITIQUES: If you have a WIP (work in progress) you would like us to critique, please bring 10 copies of no more than FOUR double-spaced pages. Click HERE for further DCWA critiquing guidelines

REFRESHMENTS: Please bring something to share.

ZOOM WITH US! Unable to come to Georgetown for the meeting? Contact Candy Abbott for the meeting I.D. and passcode to join us via Zoom.

Meeting Schedule

DCWF meets on the 3rd Saturday of each month (with a few exceptions). Click here for the agenda and meeting dates and locations. We're a friendly group, eager to share resources about conferences, books, websites -- anything that will strengthen us as Christians who write. We hope you'll feel right at home from your first visit. If you ever find an exception to that, let us know!

MEETING SCHEDULE

Call for Submissions

If you're interested in submitting your manuscript for publication, we often have opportunities that we'll post on this page. One of our award-winning authors, Wilma Caraway, is compiling an anthology about things that kids say. Click this page to find out more.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Manuscript Critiques

At our regular meetings, we have a critique session, so bring your manuscript (10 copies of up to four double-spaced pages). No trembling, new folks--we'll point out the strengths as well as observations of areas that could be improved.

MANUSCRIPT CRITIQUES

STATEMENT OF FAITH
This Statement of Faith includes the basic tenants of Christianity. As of 2020, all writers are welcome to attend meetings and events, but only those who have signed this statement will be voting members of Delmarva Christian Writers' Fellowship.
Statement of Faith.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [104.7 KB]

Purpose of DCWF

To encourage Christians on the Delmarva Peninsula to write with excellence in as many ways as possible, as diligently as possible. (Just imagine the impact if every believer who ever thought of writing were to put those words on paper and share them with a few close friends. From letters to articles to books and self-publishing, opportunities abound.)

To knit a strong foundation of encouragement, undergirding, and support, spurring one another on toward love and good deeds–all the more as we see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25). The word "Fellowship" in our name is as important as "Writing."

To provide training for excellence through seminars, publications, critiquing, guest speakers, etc., so that we may present ourselves to God as workers who do not need to be ashamed and who correctly handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

What you can expect from DCWF

Here we are at our monthly meeting in Oct. 2008 where our teaching was about manuscript formatting and how to navigate Microsoft Word. It is becoming more common for our members to bring their laptops. We're doing our best to keep abreast of the leaps and bounds of technology.

Established in 1993, the group has approx. 45 members on the rolls with an average attendance of 8 to 15 and a regional mailing list of 130. The majority are new writers who are mentored by those of us who have been published. It is an informal gathering for critiquing and encouragement with numerous resources to build up the Christian who writes.

There is no membership fee, no "formal" agenda, and no pressure, but we do hold one another accountable to see progress in our writing.

We meet once a month, the third Saturday, from 9 until 12:30 (sometimes 10 to 2). Our meetings typically include a devotional, shared information, a teaching, critique groups, and prayer. Friendships are fostered over lunch and between meetings. On occasion, we host day-long writing seminars or retreats.

A number of our members attend regional or national conferences (visit www.writehisanswer.com for links to the Philadelphia and Colorado conferences).

Our president, Candy Abbott, is beaming with good cause as she displays the award we--Delmarva Christian Writrs Fellowship--just received as The Best of Georgetown 2019 for Non-Profit association or organization.

This unexpected endorsement comes just in time to help us promote the Delmarva Christian Writers Conference.

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